


Jealousy

by Clementizzle



Series: Soutori Week [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Jealous Yamazaki Sousuke, M/M, Rin is a dork, also he ships it, they are both idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 14:52:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3854791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clementizzle/pseuds/Clementizzle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sousuke is needlessly jealous of how close Rin and Ai are. Sometimes it's better to just talk things out. This is one of those times</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jealousy

 

The feeling in Sousuke’s chest was entirely new to him. It started out small, just a small outburst here and there. After a while, he realized the feeling happened whenever he saw Aiichirou with Rin. It made sense to him, in a way, the two were roommates, and Rin was and incredibly talented swimmer, and he seemed more relaxed and kind around Ai than he was with others. What Sousuke didn’t understand is why he’d get so mad seeing the two of them together. 

He felt it even more when Ai’s enthusiasm and affection was returned. But what hit him the hardest was that the younger boy seemed to be terrified of him, as if he wanted nothing to do with Sousuke at all, he didn’t understand it. He was just as good a swimmer as Rin. Sure, he was quieter, but Rin could be hostile, and short tempered. So why did Ai like him better...

He wondered that a lot, actually. Why did he care about what that first year thought of him. Ai didn’t even know him! He didn’t know how kind he could be, he never gave him a chance to help him like Rin did. Why didn’t Ai look at him the same way he looked at Rin? He’d never done anything to make the younger boy dislike him, so why did he avoid him as if he hated him. That was what he wanted more than anything; for Ai to look at him like that, to notice how much Sousuke wanted him.

“Wait, what? Where did that come from” Sousuke thought. He didn’t like his teammate like that...did he? It would explain a lot, admittedly. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Looking back on how he’d been feeling through the lens of being attracted to Aiichirou, his jealous started to make more sense to him. But his newfound knowledge did nothing but make the reality of their relationship hurt more. Knowing that he and Ai would likely never be together, he instead resolved to try to befriend the boy. He just didn’t know how, not on his own. So he decided to turn to Rin.

“Why does Aiichirou hate me?!” He asked one day after practice when he was sure Ai wasn’t around.

“Hate...you?” Rin said, looking thoroughly confused

“Yeah, he always avoids me, whenever I try and talk to him he looks away and tries to get away as much as possible. I don’t think I’ve done anything to make him hate me, but that’s what it feels like. So why?” Sousuke asked, trying to keep cool.

“Why are you asking me?” Rin countered

“Because he’s your roommate, and he’s always talking to you…” Sousuke reasoned.

“Yeah, but why ask me when you could just ask him yourself?”

“Are you stupid?! You can’t just go up to someone and ask them something like that?” Sousuke almost yelled. Was Rin really that dense?

“Why not? If you want an answer, isn’t it best to get it from the most reliable source?” Rin mused.

“I guess so, but-” Sousuke started, but Rin cut him off.

“But nothing! If you want to find out how Ai feels about you, you’re gonna have to ask him yourself. I’m not gonna play messenger for you.” 

“But…”

“But nothing! If you want to find out, you’re gonna have to suck it up and ask Ai yourself”

“Fine...but when should I ask him?” Sousuke asked. As if on cue, Ai walked into the locker room.

“How about right now?- Oi, Ai, can you come here a minute?” Rin said, motioning for the boy to come over. Sousuke froze. Ai hesitated for a moment, but walked over.

“What’d you need, Rin?” He asked, looking between Rin and Sousuke. He looked just about as nervous as Sousuke felt. Did he really dislike Sousuke that much? He was never like this when he was just with Rin. Sousuke felt his heart drop a little bit.

“Actually, it’s not really what I need...Sousuke had something he wanted to ask you, not me.” Rin said, rubbing the back of his neck. Ai looked like he was about to jump out of his own skin when he what Rin said registered. Sousuke understood the feeling.

“What’s that Seijuro? You need my help with something.? Be right there!” Rin said, despite Seijuro being nowhere nearby.

“That Asshole!” Sousuke thought. He calls Ai over and then just dit

“S-so....” Ai started, he looked over to Sousuke, maintaining eye contact for a moment before dropping it. ‘W-what’d you need, Sousuke?” Sousuke was at a loss for words. He hadn’t had any time to plan out what he wanted to say. He needed to think of something, the silence between them was getting awkward.

“Ehh, it’s just....I was, uhh, wondering why…” Sousuke trailed off, trying to think of how to put it.

“Why what?” Ai asked, looking confused on top of nervous.

“It’s just...You don’t seem to like me, and you seem kind of afraid of me. I don’t know what I did to make you feel that way about me, but whatever it is I’m sorry!” Sousuke said, finding his words.

“You...think I dislike you?” Ai asked after a moment. “Why?”

“Because you always seem like you’re afraid of me, like you don’t want to talk to me. It feels like you’re always trying to avoid me” Sousuke stated. Ai just stood there, looking at him for a moment. He started to turn red.

“I’m sorry Sousuke…” the smaller boy said “I have been avoiding you, but not because I hate you or anything. The truth is...The truth is that I have a crush on you, and I just didn’t know how to tell you!” Sousuke couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he was speechless. Unfortunately, Ai took this as rejection. “I’m sorry, I knew I shouldn’t have told you that. You probably think I’m gross and hate me now.” Tears were welling up in the smaller boy’s eyes, he turned and started to run away.

“Wait!” Sousuke yelled, grabbing Ai’s hand, stopping him. Ai turned to face him, closing his eyes, bracing for whatever Sousuke might throw at him. The last thing the shorter boy expected was to feel arms around him, holding him tight.

“You, you aren’t mad?” Ai said, shocked

“Nope.” Sousuke replied

“You don’t think I’m weird or gross for...having a crush on you?”

“Not at all” Sousuke said plainly. “I feel the same way about you”

“Y-You do?” Ai asked, incredulous.

“I do. That’s why I couldn’t stand the thought of you hating me. I’m glad you told me, though. I was just hoping we could be friends...I don’t think I would have had the courage to confess that to you” Sousuke said

“I didn’t- I wouldn’t have, but I didn’t want to lie about it anymore. After hearing that you thought I hated you I just, it just came out.” Ai said, rubbing the back of his neck. Sousuke hugged him a little tighter.

“Well I’m glad you did” He said, smiling down at the shorter boy.

“So does this mean that you’re my...boyfriend?” Ai said, blushing

“If you’ll have me” Sousuke said. Ai beamed

“Of course I will!” 

And in that moment, Sousuke couldn’t believe he’d been so jealous of Rin.


End file.
